Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial (2016)
The wordiest, most ironic, most depressed indie rock out there. It also happens to be some of the best! Last week, I gave Twin Fantasy a listen before the re-release and then decided to revisit Will Toledo and Co.'s most recent album. It's even better than I remember. "Fill in the Blank" and "Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales" have some of the most satisfying hooks in CSH's discography. The first half of the record is definitely more engaging, while the second half is a sprawl of very long songs. While still very good, it's a bit more tiring if listened to in one sitting. If Toledo's lyrics weren't as great, it would be an unfortunate slog.
Soccer Mommy - Songs for the Recently Sad (2015)
Sophie Allison is finally prepping for her official debut album, following last year's 'best of' compilation Collection. To honor the occasion, I dove into her Bandcamp back catalogue. Her first release came out in the aftermath of a breakup, and if the title didn't give it away, these five songs are really sad. Allison's storytelling is still establishing itself but there is promise of a fantastic writer here (not that these songs aren't well-written - they're great). Soccer Mommy is a quintessential bedroom pop project and everyone should check it out.
Hammock - Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo (2006)
75 minutes of gorgeous ambient guitar textures. As much as I enjoyed it, I couldn't identify any individual track. With a project like this, that almost works in its favor. It creates a gentle atmosphere in the background of whatever you're doing, or it puts you to sleep. Your choice. 2017's Mysterium has much more emotional resonance but this album is still satisfying.
Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet (2001)
The party album. No, The Party ALBUM. If you buy into Andrew W.K.'s music, it will enlighten you. It's just so bizarrely wholesome you can't help but grin like an idiot as W.K. screams about partying over chugging power chords. I Get Wet (and most of W.K.'s discography) falls into the same vein as the overwhelmingly energetic Japandroids and such. It's just fun.
David Bowie - Hunky Dory (1971)
Bowie Week #4! This is the first truly great/classic Bowie album. Co-produced by Ken Scott and with guitar work from Mick Ronson, it features some of the most enduring and best songs in his entire career - "Changes," "Life on Mars?," and "Queen Bitch" among others. It is so ridiculously satisfying and just plain fun to listen to.
Justin Timberlake - Justified (2002)
Instead of listening to the new Justin, I decided to listen to the old Justin. Let me just say, the difference is night and day. The production and vocals on Justified are more than one would expect from the typical pop record, especially one that appeared to be another "boy band goes solo" situation. But then JT goes and releases a debut single featuring Clipse. Malice and Pusha spitting alongside a kid from NSYNC. That is nothing if not ballsy. The fact that it worked too is incredible. It runs a bit long but the first half is wall-to-wall pop classics.
Miguel - Wildheart (2015)
I can't exactly say that any Miguel album is meant for me - a skinny white kid from the suburbs. That doesn't stop me from enjoying the expert R&B and guitar pop on Wildheart. Smoothest thing I've listened to in a long time. Miguel could sell fresh water to a fish that is currently in the ocean. He is understated yet so delightfully anti-subtlety.
The Antlers - Hospice (2009)
Saddest album of the week award goes to this one. Similar to my experience with Carrie & Lowell, I saw this band live but didn't know that many of their songs. That didn't stop the band from killing it, but I feel like I would have appreciated the show more if I had been more familiar with such an incredible album like Hospice. The non-autobiographical details and deafening silence crushes the listener while encouraging them to listen as closely as possible to hear the poetry within.
Sufjan Stevens - A Sun Came (2000/2004)
The debut album from good ole Sufjan. The 2004 re-release is essentially the same, it just added two bonus tracks (one of which is a new version of a song from the original album). Holy balls this thing is weird. Virtually every thing Sufjan would go on to do better is here in some way. The absurd glitchy song, the orchestral folk pop song with a ton of flutes, the sad song about death - the gang's all together. Most of it ranges from curious and kind of bad to solid. Personal highlights include "Kill" and "Rake (Greenpoint version)."
Ty Segall - Freedom's Goblin (2018)
Joe is fond of saying that the case with every Ty Segall release is that there's a couple of good songs and a bunch of really mediocre ones. At over an hour long, it would seem that logical that that would be especially true for Freedom's Goblin. However, none of the songs really stand out. They are almost all extremely solid. None stood out in a good or bad way. It forms one consistent garage rock experience - it won't convert any new fans but it certainly won't scare away any old ones.
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